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Towing 10,000 -12,000

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shallow Hal

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Looking at a 3500, but will be pulling up to 12,000 occasionally. We're retired and will be pulling a 5th wheel, on month here, one month there, but using the truck mostly for just regular driving.
I like the 3.73 for the better mileage when not towing, but am I better off with the 4.10 for towing that much?
 
Yes 4.10 for towing will help you. Gas mileage and Hemi will never go in the same sentence though even empty. Towing MPG is absolutely horrible. You'd be better suited likely with the diesel
 
How much will you be driving around unloaded between those monthly moves of the 5er?

Unless you're really putting on a lot of unloaded miles to reap the slight improvement in MPG with the 3.73, I'd stick with the 4.10.
 
I have the 3.73 in mine and certainly can't complain about the towing at all. If I had a dually maybe I'd want the 4.10 for total max towing but with a SRW I'm fine with the 3.73. Could not pay me to go back to Gas after having this Diesel though... the Tow/Haul mode Engine Brake is ASTOUNDING.... I mean FREAKING ASTOUNDING. It will bring the truck and fully loaded trailer to a damn near halt at a stop light when in my old 1500 it'd be standing on the brakes (too heavy trailer for the 1500).

Mileage is pretty good, no idea what it is in MPG but in L/100K I can get down to 11 L/100km if I do the speed limit (Rarely do that) and more like 13-14 L/100km normally. Towing runs up into the early 20's but the savings on brake pads and rotors will save me tons lol.
 
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Personally I went with the 4.10 on my 2500 Hemi, the 1-2 mpg loss over the 3.73 was an easy decision for me… My max towing is 16,258 lbs, compared to around 14,000 lbs for the 3.73, if I drive like a normal human I can get around 17 mpg out of it. Personally I think there are to many diesel fanboys that immediately think everyone needs a diesel… I’ve had a few diesel trucks and will never go back to them, especially with the new emission garbage on them.
 
I've ordered a CCSB 6.4L with 3.73's as a daily driver. But I haul a 7200 lb camper several times a year in flat terrain. I currently pull it with a 6.2L 1500 Sierra, but it ain't pretty. Plus, the kids are getting bigger, so their bikes are getting bigger, clothes bags are getting bigger, groceries for the family is increasing etc. I need a 2500 truck. But I want to stick with gas and 3,73 since I drive about 14,000 miles per year with less than 1,000 of that towing. I'll be much better off with my new ride.

Now

I have a buddy who tows a 10,000 lb goose neck horse trailer monthly and absolutely loves his 6.4L Hemi CCLB tradesman with 4.10's and 50 gal tank. Claims he got 15.9 mpg by hand when running empty for an entire tank.

I did not see the bed length or tank size from the OP. If getting the 6.4L and towing a 12k 5th wheel, even if it is only twice a year, please get the 4.10's AND the Long Bed with 50 gal tank.
 
I ordered a 22 3500 Laramie in Oct and went with the Hemi,50 gallon tank,8 ft bed and 4.10 rear. (Still waiting) jI’m in about the same boat as Shallow Hal. Going to snow bird it to the south in the winter months and use it as a grocery getter for the rest of the year. I drove a 02 2500 5.9 for 17 years and loved it. Living in NJ it had more rot than good metal, so I had to part ways with it with only a 140,000 miles. But now I’m afraid that I’ll have problems with the new diesel emissions as I won’t be highway driving for those seven months for a regen. Oh yeah I’ll be towing 8k travel trailer next year and 12k fifth wheel in 2023. Good luck on your decision.
 
elephantrider said:
agree... unless your using the tow pig as a daily, your specific use case screams diesel with the exhaust brake. even then...

of course, it's easy for me to spend your money lol
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Even if you only towed it once or twice a month, you'd be better off with a diesel and the EB that comes standard with it.

"it aint the go, it's the whoa!"
 
I'm a few months behind on this thread, but I just pulled a 13,000lb gooseneck trailer behind my 2022 RAM 2500 crew cab Tradesman Level 2 and gas 6.4L 4x4 truck. It was an interesting experience, especially since I've pulled the same trailer with my 2019 RAM 3500 4x4 and 6.7L HO Cummins. Both have the factory gooseneck hitch prep. My gas truck has the 3.73 axle, and according to the VIN lookup on the RAM website for towing, my rig is rated to pull 14,760lbs.

Basically, on hills of any consequence, you have the pedal to the floor. The trans will not downshift as far as it could and let the Hemi roar along near redline, but rather it settles into a gear and seems to hold between 3500-4000RPM. I was able to maintain 43mph up a steep hill. Aside from not going as fast as I would like, it was not a horrible experience. The biggest drawback was braking. The Cummins exhaust brake is the best in the business and keeps you feeling extremely confident on the long hills. I feel like this brand new 2500 Hemi truck has the worst brakes of any HD truck I've ever owned even driving empty, and that doesn't help. Long pedal travel with soft feeling brakes. The trans in Tow/Haul mode does its best to use engine compression to help, but its not remotely like a diesel exhaust brake. The solution is to turn up the trailer brake controller, and you can safely tow this amount of weight, but you will be using your brake pads up quicker no doubt. Finally, for towing on flat or relatively flat ground, the truck does just fine. Even my Cummins HO truck would feel this amount of weight and not be "fast" anywhere, it just climbed hills and descended them a lot better.
 
gimmie11s said:
For 12k lbs, you should buy a diesel truck. With a gas truck, your foot will be on the floor anytime your travels have any type of incline.
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Most folks thought I was being sarcastic. Nope, just realistic with some of my past experiences towing heavy with a gas motor.


troverman said:
I'm a few months behind on this thread, but I just pulled a 13,000lb gooseneck trailer behind my 2022 RAM 2500 crew cab Tradesman Level 2 and gas 6.4L 4x4 truck. It was an interesting experience, especially since I've pulled the same trailer with my 2019 RAM 3500 4x4 and 6.7L HO Cummins. Both have the factory gooseneck hitch prep. My gas truck has the 3.73 axle, and according to the VIN lookup on the RAM website for towing, my rig is rated to pull 14,760lbs.

Basically, on hills of any consequence, you have the pedal to the floor. The trans will not downshift as far as it could and let the Hemi roar along near redline, but rather it settles into a gear and seems to hold between 3500-4000RPM. I was able to maintain 43mph up a steep hill. Aside from not going as fast as I would like, it was not a horrible experience. The biggest drawback was braking. The Cummins exhaust brake is the best in the business and keeps you feeling extremely confident on the long hills. I feel like this brand new 2500 Hemi truck has the worst brakes of any HD truck I've ever owned even driving empty, and that doesn't help. Long pedal travel with soft feeling brakes. The trans in Tow/Haul mode does its best to use engine compression to help, but its not remotely like a diesel exhaust brake. The solution is to turn up the trailer brake controller, and you can safely tow this amount of weight, but you will be using your brake pads up quicker no doubt. Finally, for towing on flat or relatively flat ground, the truck does just fine. Even my Cummins HO truck would feel this amount of weight and not be "fast" anywhere, it just climbed hills and descended them a lot better.
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Fair review, and spot on.
 
shallow Hal said:
Looking at a 3500, but will be pulling up to 12,000 occasionally. We're retired and will be pulling a 5th wheel, on month here, one month there, but using the truck mostly for just regular driving.
I like the 3.73 for the better mileage when not towing, but am I better off with the 4.10 for towing that much?
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I'm reading the other posts and one thing to remember that many even diesel fanatics say... IF you are towing "ON A REGULAR BASIS" like every week and pulling large loads then for sure, but Diesels are made to work hard...all the time...with attendant maintenance and preventive service over watch that is not something you do if you feel like it. With a gasser, you change the oil and filters, get in and drive if you have the touchless remote entry and start... AND, with a 6.4 and a 4:10, do you NEED the 3500. Your numbers SEEM well within the range of a 2500 4:11 geared 6.4 Hemi.

There is no correct answer I'm thinking but it sounds like a lot of daily driver stuff that diesels don't necessarily like with punctuated "real runs" that themselves will likely involve a long drive there then sitting for a week? And daily driving in between the runs?
 
As an owner of a 2019 Hemi and a 2022 Cummins, I would never order another Cummins. The exhaust/turbo brake is really cool. The ability to go a bit faster up a steep hill is cool. But the buy price, maintenance price and reliability loss is not worth it.

Fuel economy I am seeing is similar both empty and towing. Sure, I may have to go a little slower up big/steep hills, it may rev... but it is built to do that and never once bothered me. If they make a generation change in 2024 or 2025 I will likely order the next one as a 6.4 Hemi. I'm all good with having had diesels in my life, I'm done now.
 
Lary0071 said:
As an owner of a 2019 Hemi and a 2022 Cummins, I would never order another Cummins. The exhaust/turbo brake is really cool. The ability to go a bit faster up a steep hill is cool. But the buy price, maintenance price and reliability loss is not worth it.

Fuel economy I am seeing is similar both empty and towing. Sure, I may have to go a little slower up big/steep hills, it may rev... but it is built to do that and never once bothered me. If they make a generation change in 2024 or 2025 I will likely order the next one as a 6.4 Hemi. I'm all good with having had diesels in my life, I'm done now.
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You could be looking at a straight six turbocharged from what I'm hearing.
 
Lary0071 said:
As an owner of a 2019 Hemi and a 2022 Cummins, I would never order another Cummins. The exhaust/turbo brake is really cool. The ability to go a bit faster up a steep hill is cool. But the buy price, maintenance price and reliability loss is not worth it.

Fuel economy I am seeing is similar both empty and towing. Sure, I may have to go a little slower up big/steep hills, it may rev... but it is built to do that and never once bothered me. If they make a generation change in 2024 or 2025 I will likely order the next one as a 6.4 Hemi. I'm all good with having had diesels in my life, I'm done now.
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Interesting assessment...you and I have the reverse (I have a 2019 3500 Cummins HO and a 2022 2500 Hemi) but we are both owners of both versions of the same truck. I have been pulling 13,000lbs the last couple of days with the 2500 Hemi and there is no doubt that while the Hemi gets it done, the diesel is superior at this job. Unfortunately the diesel doesn't have a great transmission and the gas truck does (except when pulling near max, I feel the old Aisin 6 speed is more confident). I'm also a car guy and do all my own work and have a lot of tool and enjoy a project such as a motor swap and such. I love diesel engines, although the emissions systems have gotten far too complicated expensive when they fail. But you are right - on the Hemi, just change the oil, and that's it. And the oil change itself is easier and considerably cheaper.

I'm not sure the 4.10 axle ratio is worth it anymore with the 8 speed. The Hemi ECU will not allow continuous full throttle up a hill anyway, and there are plenty of gears to choose from.
 
troverman said:
Interesting assessment...you and I have the reverse (I have a 2019 3500 Cummins HO and a 2022 2500 Hemi) but we are both owners of both versions of the same truck. I have been pulling 13,000lbs the last couple of days with the 2500 Hemi and there is no doubt that while the Hemi gets it done, the diesel is superior at this job. Unfortunately the diesel doesn't have a great transmission and the gas truck does (except when pulling near max, I feel the old Aisin 6 speed is more confident). I'm also a car guy and do all my own work and have a lot of tool and enjoy a project such as a motor swap and such. I love diesel engines, although the emissions systems have gotten far too complicated expensive when they fail. But you are right - on the Hemi, just change the oil, and that's it. And the oil change itself is easier and considerably cheaper.

I'm not sure the 4.10 axle ratio is worth it anymore with the 8 speed. The Hemi ECU will not allow continuous full throttle up a hill anyway, and there are plenty of gears to choose from.
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He's in the minority. The number of folks who go from diesel to gas for a "tow" vehicle is almost zero. The number of people who go from gas to diesel tow vehicle is massive.
 
gimmie11s said:
He's in the minority. The number of folks who go from diesel to gas for a "tow" vehicle is almost zero. The number of people who go from gas to diesel tow vehicle is massive.
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I think the only exception to your statement are fleets. I can list the city I live in and other surrounding towns as examples. Gas HD trucks have gotten a little better, and diesel HD trucks have gotten more expensive to buy and maintain, and less reliable. Our city operates about 20 "HD" vehicles ranging from 2500 to 5500 trucks. In this case they are all Fords. 15 years ago they were 100% diesel, with the slight increase in original cost made up for by longer engine life and better fuel economy. 10 years ago they began to replace some of the trucks with gas engines. Fast forward to today, and only the F-550 trucks are diesel. I'm told even those they might purchase one or two with the gas 7.3L and see how it works out. The town beats their vehicles into the ground so there really is no increased value in auctioning off a worn out diesel vs gas truck, plus where I live in the salt belt they are all rusty anyway.

I think there are a handful of personal owners who are buying gas after owning diesel for financial reasons, but you are right...most other people who switch are much happier with the power, smoothness, and quiet effortlessness of a modern diesel.
 
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